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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813846">keep watching from your picket fence</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuardianKarenTerrier/pseuds/GuardianKarenTerrier'>GuardianKarenTerrier</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>adrien augreste 2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ADHD Alix Kubdel, Adrien AUGreste 2020, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Has ADHD, Awesome Alix Kubdel, Child Neglect, Fluff and Angst, Food Issues, Gen, Runaway Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Sleepovers, adhd lê chiến kim, alix definitely realises it, alix isnt bunnyx yet, alix pov, awesome ondine, i mean probably just assume that one, lazy day, not that the kids totally register that but they SORTA realise it, or at least the others suspect it, some serious child neglect happening here, the miraculous are not the only magic in the world</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:03:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,818</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuardianKarenTerrier/pseuds/GuardianKarenTerrier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hey, if I admit that you were right about Lego Roulette, will you tell me where Chat Noir is?"  Alix calls out as she swings open Kim's door, idly thinking about how it's still really annoying that Kim had not only named his cat pillow the same way she did but the same thing she did. </p><p>And then Alix freezes with her hand still on the doorknob, because the actual Chat Noir is looking up at her from the spare mattress, expression somewhere between confused and guilty. </p><p>Alix's brain unfreezes again pretty quick, considering this is not the weirdest thing she's caught Kim at by miles, and she blinks and takes in a lot more in the space it takes before anyone can react to her.  The missing pillow's now curled protectively around its namesake, who's scrunched into the corner where he- or someone, anyway- must have dragged the mattress and the pile of sheets they like to consider bedding, and Chat's holding the chipped bowl they usually pass chips around in for movie nights, and Kim's hanging upside down off his bed to lazily mess with the fidget cube Ondine had thrown at him a week ago while Ondine messes with the settings on the ps4. </p><p>Alix blinks again. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Everyone, Alix Kubdel &amp; Lê Chiến Kim, Lê Chiến Kim &amp; Alix Kubdel &amp; Ondine, Lê Chiến Kim/Ondine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>adrien augreste 2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860751</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>412</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>keep watching from your picket fence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>for the 'lazy day' prompt for adrien augreste! also, 'cuz its relevant: alix isnt bunnyx yet.  you know, as far as alix knows. </p><p>thank you for the beta shinobicyrus! </p><p>ive referenced this in <i>so many</i> other fics, it was about time i actually wrote it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alix darts down the street as fast as she can without attracting attention, weaving through people and jumping over obstacles in a practised way as she takes the shortest possible route from the museum to Kim's place. </p><p>She's had years to learn the fastest way there, and just because it keeps changing depending on the day and the weather and whether or not there's an akuma alert doesn't mean she doesn't still know it.  Alix knows to have alternative and backup routes and she's at Kim's place in less time than most of their friends would think possible, pausing just long enough to catch her breath before scrambling up the side of the building and tumbling through the always-unlocked window. </p><p>She thinks the window's probably actually broken by now, but Kim insists it's not. </p><p>It's a little bit of a disappointment to land on the pile of pillows an exasperated Ondine had insisted on, but to be totally fair Ondine's probably right that Lego Roulette had never been a good idea.  Alix thinks she <em> still </em> has a block imprint on her right knee, ow. </p><p>Alix pauses.  One of the pillows is missing. </p><p>It's really noticeable, too, since it's the giant cat pillow Kim had very solemnly placed around the rest like a guard before losing the fight not to start laughing. </p><p>This pang of disappointment is harder to ignore; part of their reason had been that Alix and Max and Nath all have the same pillow, and she thinks they're not the only ones in their class, still. She'd bet that most of the others don't remember where they got them anymore, but the four of them do, and Alix had secretly really enjoyed the idea of having the cat be their 'guard' pillow at Kim's. </p><p>She debates whether she should stay quiet for a moment, just in case the pillow's gone in an attempt at use as an <em> actual </em>guard and is supposed to signify some kind of danger, but there's literally never been any danger at Kim's that wasn't caused by either an akuma or themselves. </p><p>Also Ondine <em> probably </em>would have warned her.</p><p>"Hey guys?" Alix calls, and is rewarded with a thud from one room over.  She rolls to her feet again and heads for the hallway, leaning out and seeing no one before turning to Kim's room. </p><p>She glances down at the doorknob first, but it's honestly pretty much a formality.  She super doesn't wanna know what's going on between Kim and Ondine, preferably ever, but it's not like they've ever actually <em> used </em>the shirt-on-the-door thing, so she's not sure why she still bothers to check.</p><p>(They'd all tried to tell Kim it's not supposed to be a <em> shirt, </em> but he'd kinda had his heart set on it and it's not like it matters, really).</p><p>"Hey, if I admit that you were right about Lego Roulette, will you tell me where Chat Noir is?"  Alix calls out as she swings open Kim's door, idly thinking about how it's still really annoying that Kim had not only named his cat pillow the same way she did but the same <em> thing </em>she did. </p><p>And then Alix freezes with her hand still on the doorknob, because the actual Chat Noir is looking up at her from the spare mattress, expression somewhere between confused and guilty. </p><p>Alix's brain unfreezes again pretty quick, considering this is not the weirdest thing she's caught Kim at by <em> miles, </em>and she blinks and takes in a lot more in the space it takes before anyone can react to her.  The missing pillow's now curled protectively around its namesake, who's scrunched into the corner where he- or someone, anyway- must have dragged the mattress and the pile of sheets they like to consider bedding, and Chat's holding the chipped bowl they usually pass chips around in for movie nights, and Kim's hanging upside down off his bed to lazily mess with the fidget cube Ondine had thrown at him a week ago while Ondine messes with the settings on the ps4. </p><p>Alix blinks again. </p><p>"Hey!" Kim doesn't bother to twist upright, waving at her with the fidget cube instead.  He clicks it several times and she sees Chat Noir's gaze slide sideways to Kim, his ears flattening and then lifting upright again. </p><p>Which seems fair, honestly, because Alix is pretty sure Kim just clicked something out in Morse?  Alix doesn't know Morse, but Max does, and he's tried to teach the rest of them a handful of things.  Nothing beyond the basic S.O.S has ever really stuck with Alix, though.  She thinks Max made Kim learn more than that.  </p><p>Eh, it's not like Alix ever really <em> needs </em>code.  Not like she's got much to hide. </p><p>"Hey," Alix finally greets, sliding into the room and nudging the door shut with one foot.  She swings her backpack off and drops it almost on Kim's stomach as she joins him on the bed.  "I brought fruit roll ups and Jenga."</p><p>Kim makes a very sad face.  "I thought we said no more Jenga 'til we could rescue the Legos from Ondine's place." </p><p>"Kim, for the <em> last time, </em> it is <em> not </em>Jenga if you're play it with Legos."  Ondine sits up from where she's been finding the correct connections, before looking with confusion at what appears to be a leftover cable in her hand.  Shrugging, she tosses it aside.  "Hey, Alix." </p><p>"Hey, Ondine," Alix returns, leaning over to rummage through her backpack again, deliberately shoving it into Kim as she does.  He grunts and flips sideways, sending the whole backpack sliding and Alix scrambling over him and after it. </p><p>Chat Noir, still scrunched tightly into his corner and <em> bizarrely </em>quiet, now looks a lot more confused. </p><p>No one's said a word about him being there, though, and if Alix hadn't known what that meant from the start she sure would have after Marc.</p><p>She lets out a noise of triumph as she catches her backpack centimetres from the floor.  Unfortunately, she only catches it by one strap, so it still <em> hits </em>the floor, but hey, it's the thought that counts.  "Also, I forgot whose night it was? So I brought Train to Busan." </p><p>Ondine looks deeply unimpressed.  "No, Alix." </p><p>"I also brought World War Z."  She did.  She raided Dad's zombie shelf just to be this specific brand of annoying.  She is, frankly, proud of herself.  </p><p>"<em> Why </em>would you do that." Ondine pinches the bridge of her nose. Chat Noir's ears are swivelling between them like it's a tennis match, even though Alix is pretty sure he's somehow gotten himself wedged even further into his corner.</p><p>She's privately more than a little bit freaked out that one of their <em> heroes </em>is freaked out enough to be taking up Kim's my-window-stays-open-no-questions-asked offer, but like hell is she dumb enough to say anything.  About that, anyway.  "Cool.  I also have Resident Evil."</p><p>"The zombie ban's not lifted, Alix.  I'm never lifting the zombie ban.  I'm still mad at you for letting Kim find out about grindhouse films." </p><p>Kim lifts one hand lazily.  "If it helps, I'm good, I'm never watchin' one again.  Just got curious." </p><p>"Yeah, and it's gonna be like a week before you <em> get curious </em> again, and I <em> know </em> Alix gave you like, a database," Ondine says, flopping backwards against the side of the bed and handing the remote up to Alix anyway.  "It actually is your night, but no.  No zombies.  You lose your next three turns if there's zombies, Alix." </p><p>"What is this, Monopoly?  Did I roll double zombies or something?"  Alix looks down at her backpack again.  "I've got Pontypool." </p><p>"Give, I don't trust you," Ondine says, at the same time as Kim drones, "Do not pass Go.  Do not collect two hundred dollars."</p><p>Alix throws a fruit roll up at him and then tucks away the sight of Chat Noir flinching further into his corner.  She's... honestly pretty scared now that <em> he still hasn't said anything.  </em></p><p>Aside from herself and Ondine, people don't tend to just <em> show up </em> at Kim's.  People <em> send you </em>to Kim's if they don't think you're safe at home.</p><p>(Or if you're Max, but look, Alix had had bets to collect on).</p><p>Alix glances up and catches the way Ondine's expression freezes as she gets through the summary for Pontypool. </p><p>Alix grins.</p><p>"Seriously, where the hell do you even find these things?" Ondine does at least hand the movie back carefully, apparently recognising that this one actually sorta means something to Alix. </p><p>Alix shrugs as she shoves it (carefully) back in with the rest of her stuff.  "Jalil finds them, actually.  Stops me when he wanders by once in a while and goes 'this is terrible, you'll love it' and hands me one."  He does it with books sometimes too, but Alix doesn't wanna discuss that.</p><p>"They <em>have</em> all been pretty terrible," Kim says thoughtfully.  He's still in an awkward and uncomfortable-looking sprawl, twisted half sideways on his bed with his head hanging lower than the rest of him.  Alix'd be worried about a head rush or something if it wasn't Kim. </p><p>Chat Noir speaks up for the first time, and Alix registers a little dully that she hadn't expected him to sound like himself.  It's sorta a shock when he does.  "Pontypool's not exactly terrible." </p><p>"See, <em> not exactly terrible </em> is still <em> not exactly </em> what I was hoping for." </p><p>"You've seen it?" Alix asks, curiosity engaged.  "I haven't watched it yet." </p><p>"It's... the twist is weird, but it's interesting?"  One of Chat's ears twitches back.  "It's not master-level cinema or anything, but I wouldn't call it bad, either." </p><p>"What <em>would</em> you call bad?" Kim asks immediately, twisting upright at last, and Alix wishes he hadn't when Chat falters and his eyes dart to the door.</p><p>But Kim's not as dumb as people think he is and he's plenty used to what it means when someone who's climbed through his window starts trying to melt into a wall, so he flips smoothly back over and down onto his stomach like that's what he meant to do all along, dropping low and avoiding any hint of looming. </p><p>Alix realises too late that she hasn't been too careful herself about keeping low the way they'd done for days for Ivan and <em> weeks </em> for Marc, but it's kinda late now.  She's gotta wait for an opportunity where it doesn't <em> look </em>like she's been waiting for an opportunity now.  "Hey, taste is subjective.  Maybe this is like, my favourite movie, you know?" </p><p>"Alix," Ondine says, and then mimes a movie case with plastic wrap still on it. </p><p>"You don't have to charades it, I woulda got it," Alix says, suddenly irritable, and then guilty at Chat Noir's minute flinch.  She takes her chance to flop dramatically down onto the floor beside the bed, though, and out of the corner of her eye sees the restless twitching of his tail calm down. </p><p>Ondine holds up both hands, palms out, with a wince.  "Sorry, didn't mean it like that." </p><p>Alix lets all her breath gust out in a sigh, before getting distracted by the way it lifts the corner of some papers under the bed.  She's already reaching for them as she says, absently, "Nah, it's fine, just.  Dad's been on my case about <em> not listening </em> lately."  She makes a face as she tugs a paper out and crinkles it into a ball in her hands, before smoothing it out again, before beginning to fold it.  "I swear he gets it like half the time but then the rest he doesn't remember about it at all? He never gets on Jalil's case, either." </p><p>Chat moves like he wants to ask. </p><p>Alix doesn't totally wanna answer, but they kinda need Chat Noir, which means he kinda needs to be like, showing signs of being a <em> person </em>over there, which means she's gonna support anything he wants to do right now that involves y'know.  Actually engaging with them. </p><p>She remembers not to throw her paper airplane in time. </p><p>"Sometimes I don't focus well."  She reaches for another loose piece of paper under Kim's bed.  Oh hey, that's their homework for next week, they need this.  "Uh, movement helps.  Dad's <em> usually </em>really good, but he forgets? And I think he's got something similar, but, like, opposite.  Movement's worse for him, I think for Jalil too.  Er, my brother."  They need this and she probably shouldn't be folding it into a swan. And it's a bad size and shape for a swan, at least the way she learned them.</p><p>Eh, it's for next week.  Not like Mme. Bustier's gonna be surprised if Kim's lost it by then.  She keeps copies for them, anyway.</p><p>Bustier's pretty good about letting them have stuff a week ahead, too, not like some teachers Alix has had in the past.  Doesn't help that sometimes Dad forgets to talk to them about it. Alix can tell them herself just fine, but the part where they <em> listen </em>to her is.  Less common.</p><p>Chat Noir's eyes are tracking her folding with a sudden spark of interest, so when she's folded her (admittedly sorta bad) swan she hands it to him before snagging another sheet.  She's found Kim's half-empty doodling notebook now, so she's not gonna run out any time soon, so she hands like six sheets of paper to Chat too.</p><p>He looks bemused, but he takes them. </p><p>He also watches close enough to start following after her when she starts folding again, so there's one old suspicion confirmed.  Chat Noir's <em> always </em>had a bunch of habits she recognises from herself and Kim (and some from Marc and Rose, but that's- something else again), so she's always kinda wondered. </p><p>Looks like he really <em> could </em>use some of their fidget toys.  Huh.  She's gonna have to remember that. </p><p>She wonders if Ladybug ever lets him play with her yo-yo.  Alix is pretty sure her old scratched up glow-in-the-dark yo-yo was the first thing she ever used as a fidget toy, before she'd known that was what she was doing at all, and she's still got that thing somewhere.  Hell, maybe Chat'd like it.</p><p>Probably, honestly. </p><p>It only takes one repetition for him to figure out the swan.  </p><p>He's gone quiet again in the wake of Alix's explanation, but Marc had actually been way worse than this.  At least Chat Noir's talking and interacting with them; Marc had taken like, three whole days to breathe a word, and even then Alix is pretty sure it's 'cause they'd gotten hungry and Kim's kitchen is not like... intuitive.</p><p>She's not warning Chat about the kitchen.  She wants to see his reaction.  She should probably warn him anyway, but she <em> really </em> wants to see his reaction, because the first time Ondine opened the pantry and found the spray paint and stickers had frankly been hilarious. Ondine hadn't thought so, but she'd won the fight about Lego Roulette and Kim and Alix had won the fight about Kitchen Roulette (and Max had lost the fight about 'you <em> cannot </em> call everything Roulette, guys, we have discussed this <em>at</em> <em> length </em>-'), so the pantry and cabinets are still disorganized as ever. </p><p>Sometimes Alix checks them first before heading for Kim's room.  She figures if his parents have been home an organised kitchen'll be the first sign. </p><p>She's not sure his parents have ever been home.  None of them have met them. </p><p>Presumably, they exist, since Kim does, but they might as well not.  Someone's paying for the apartment, though, probably, and the utilities have never been an issue and although food uh, kind of <em> has, </em> they manage that like they do everything else (that is, poorly but better now that Ondine's helping), and it's been way too many years by now for anyone to bring it up with Kim.  Who never seems to care, but Alix <em> knows </em>he does.</p><p>He's too excited when he's around the rest of their parents <em> not </em>to care. </p><p><em> Most </em> of the rest of their parents.  He doesn't like Adrien's dad or Ivan's mom, and Kim and Alix are some of the only non-Liberty kids that ever met Rose's parents before... <em> before, </em> and Anarka is awesome but Rose's old parents had <em> sucked, </em> so. </p><p>So most of the time, Kim at least acts like he doesn't care.</p><p>Also, seriously, the food thing's been an issue before.  Kim's not great at identifying that 'everything is edible... once' is not a good life plan.  They've been doing a <em> lot </em>better since Ondine started coming around but Alix has been bringing food with her for years, and so has everyone else that has any to spare.  Alix is pretty sure Marinette doesn't actually know about the window policy, since she's one of the least likely to need it?  But her parents manage to send bakery boxes home with Alix and Kim and Nath way too often to be a coincidence. </p><p>Alix's dad sends rice with her when he remembers to.  Which isn't real often or real helpful, but hey, none of them are picky and rice is a good staple, even if Alix wonders sometimes if they should be offended that it's what Dad <em> always </em>sends?  But she seriously thinks it's just 'cause it's cheap and relatively easy to make. </p><p>She's totally seen Kim screw it up, though. </p><p>They finally end up turning on Kim's copy of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, although since they start setting up a game of Forbidden Sky right after it's debatable if anyone counts as <em> watching </em>it. </p><p>The cooperative aspects of Forbidden Sky draw Chat Noir out of his corner and into the game the same way they did for Marc, though, and that's worth it. </p><p>And then Chat Noir's still there in the morning, because he fell <em> asleep </em>with them, and that's super worth it. </p><p>Ondine gets him to stay for breakfast, and then after, even though Alix has seen what passes for breakfast-at-Kim's drive other people off before.  Other, more cowardly people. </p><p>(It was Nath.  She means Nath).</p><p>Chat Noir does blink down at the bowl of we-mostly-remembered-to-toast-it-this time frozen waffle and half-melted ice cream Kim hands off to him, but he doesn't hesitate to eat it. He finishes faster than Alix does, and Alix actually likes having this for breakfast. </p><p>Ondine looks long-suffering and starts making herself 'a real waffle,' but Alix had eventually realised that a) cooking spray <em> expires, </em> who knew and b) the cooking spray in Kim's cabinet is alarmingly dusty, so she's gonna stick to frozen fare and, you know, hopefully <em> not </em>get food poisoning.</p><p>Kim's got an iron stomach or something, he never gets food poisoning. Just because Kim eats something does <em> not </em>mean it's safe to eat.</p><p>They've all learned that the hard way.</p><p>"So," Kim draws out after a slow, half-awake breakfast on all four of their parts.  Okay, on Kim and Alix's part.  Ondine wakes up way faster than is fair and Chat Noir looks twitchy and scared again, which isn't any less unnerving. "Who wants to play Timesplitters 2?" </p><p>Ondine sighs as Alix kicks her chair back and dives for Kim's room, calling, "Dibs on the camo controller!"</p><p>"Dibs on the- dammit!"</p><p>(Chat Noir practically tripped on his own tail backing away when she yelled.  That's not good).</p><p>"Quick, quick, zombie mode before Ondine catches us," Alix urges, fully aware that Ondine can still hear them.  Alix isn't very good at being quiet and the walls around here aren't that thick. </p><p>Either Kim has surprisingly tolerant neighbours, or this area's still just as empty as it's always felt. Maybe more, by now- a lot of akuma attacks go straight through here.  Hell, most of them do.  People have probably been leaving.</p><p>What people there are to <em> be </em>leaving, anyway.</p><p>There's a reason Alix gravitates to zombie films- Kim's whole building feels like they're living in one. The weird thing is that it <em> always has, </em> though.  Hawkmoth's definitely made it worse but he didn't start it.  People just... avoid the place.</p><p>Sometimes she wonders if that's why Kim's parents don't come home.</p><p>Sometimes she wonders if they even <em> remember </em>they left a kid back here. </p><p>Sometimes she wonders-</p><p>Magic's real, obviously.  Chat's <em> here</em>, so it's not like they can deny it.  Magic's real and people are throwing it around like especially dangerous confetti now, and if magic's real now then it had to be real before, and something's honestly just plain freaking <em> wrong </em> with Kim's whole- just, Kim's whole everything.  His whole weird situation really, really shouldn't be happening, like, at all.  Someone older than a teenager should have stepped in by now, but aside from gifts of food no one ever has. Alix's own dad actually <em> knows </em>about the weird zombie aura around Kim's apartment, Alix has told him plenty of times, but it never seems to stick.</p><p>Sometimes Alix wonders how much of Dad's forgetfulness is <em> Dad </em>and how much is because Alix spends too much time over here.   If the building's weirdness has somehow seeped into Alix herself over the years.</p><p>Kim doesn't wanna move, though.  He tells her he'd rather stay where he can run the open-window-open-welcome thing they've got going than leave and risk losing it, and even when she points out very softly one night that his parents might come home if he left he repeats stubbornly that he's going to stay. </p><p>He's <em> really </em>not as dumb as people think he is.</p><p>And, well, it's not like any of them are paying for the place.  It's not like the Liberty, where it's slowly sinking in for the rest of them that Luka's probably not picking up more jobs for fun.  Luka never says anything, but then no one thinks he would, so they've all gotten kinda careful about it.  No one wants to wreck the safety the ship still offers. </p><p>(No one wants Rose to feel guilty for finding a decent family).</p><p>Ondine follows them back to Kim's room first, and Alix suppresses her sigh of relief when Chat Noir shadows the doorway a few minutes later.  She hadn't been sure if he'd leave or not- she hadn't thought he'd stay the night in the first place.</p><p>But he did, and he stays the day, too.  He looks uncertain when noon rolls around and Ondine and Alix have yet to show any signs of leaving, and he looks at them like he thinks they're going to kick him out any minute, and Alix finds herself hoping as hard as she can that no one gets akumatised today. </p><p>Because then Chat Noir would <em> have </em> to leave, and Chat's <em> fun. </em></p><p>It wasn't a fluke when he'd gotten so good at Forbidden Sky so fast the night before.  He didn't learn her cranes so quick because he was tired and hurting and it was a good distraction.  He isn't any more bothered by their lunch than he was their dinner, even though their lunch is picking through a box of doughnuts and fighting over the best ones.  He's just... <em> like </em>this. </p><p>He just fits in with them really, really well.</p><p>They're heading into late afternoon when Kim makes the mistake of saying that. </p><p>Chat Noir falls off the bed. </p><p>He pops up a minute later, ears pinned sheepishly back, but Alix is still scrambling to hide her reaction to his falling at all.  He runs around on rooftops!</p><p>Ladybug's got a reset button.  Maybe Chat Noir's been falling off of rooftops, too.</p><p>Oh, Alix doesn't <em> like </em>that thought.</p><p>Kim blinks down at Chat Noir, offering him a hand up.</p><p>By the glance Kim darts at Ondine after Chat lets himself be hauled to his feet, that reaction told Kim something, too.  Alix has a pretty good guess what, considering Chat's reaction to Kim's food.  People generally have <em> some </em>kind of comment on what Kim considers a decent meal.  Chat hadn't. </p><p>"He's not wrong, you know," Ondine says, because apparently they're doubling down on this.  Thanks for the heads up, guys.  "You do fit here.  You know you can come any time, right?" </p><p>Chat Noir looks kind of trapped. </p><p>Chat Noir still hasn't <em> left. </em></p><p>" ... you know you can <em> leave </em> any time, too, right?" Alix tries slowly, and winces at the twin looks of alarm from her friends.  "Not that you have to, you don't have to! No one has to, we're still here, aren't we?  But, like. You <em> can, </em>no one's gonna be upset or anything." </p><p>And Chat Noir... relaxes, his shoulders slumping. </p><p>Well, now Alix feels terrible. </p><p>Kim raises his hand, despite this being <em> his home, </em> because he's not as dumb as people think but he's still an idiot sometimes.  "So, uh, to be totally honest?  Maybe like, a little <em> bummed, </em> but only 'cause we were winning?"  He raises his other hand to the back of his head, grinning sheepishly, and Chat's ears flick.  "Usually the girls kinda kick my ass, dude.  So, uh, feel free to come back like, anytime? As often as you wanna, really?" </p><p>Chat Noir shifts in place, one foot sliding back into a strange ready stance.  Alix blinks, because it's super definitely <em> not </em>a fencing stance, but it also doesn't look... like it's totally unrelated to one? </p><p>The hero's ears flick again as he glances towards the door.  Well, the door to the spare room with the unlocked window. </p><p>(Kim's front door probably works fine.  No one's bothered to check, not even Ondine).</p><p>"...You don't mind?"  Chat Noir asks, and it's at least not as hesitant as Alix had half-expected and half-feared.</p><p>It's, uh, still kind of hesitant though, and wow that's not a great sign.  Honestly, nothing over the past- however many hours- has been a great sign, except maybe that Chat Noir felt safe enough to sleep in the same room as them, but he could have just been exhausted.  Dude spends hours running and leaping around the city with Ladybug and he's presumably got a civilian life to keep up with on top of that (and Alix is <em> not </em> gonna think about how Chat'd slipped that civilian life to end up at <em> Kim's </em>of all possible places); she doesn't honestly see how he can be getting enough sleep. Ladybug either, for that matter.</p><p>Kim shrugs, leaning back and holding one hand up, palm forward.  Kim's had more than enough people stay over that he's gotten real good at keeping his body language as non-threatening as possible, which is good because even if Chat Noir hadn't showed up to apparently take advantage of the window policy, Chat's a fighter.  Chat spends a decent part of his life fighting <em> for </em>his life. </p><p>Dude's reflexes are probably a little scrambled by now. </p><p>"Yeah, man, any time," Kim's saying earnestly when Alix tunes back in.  "You know, offer's open to anyone, that includes you.  Includes Ladybug, if she ever needs it." </p><p>Chat Noir's smile turns sad at the edges.  "I kinda doubt it." </p><p>Alix shrugs and crosses her arms behind her head, leaning back herself.  "Hey, you never know.  Won't hurt to tell her about it."  Won't hurt for Ladybug to know something's gone wrong enough for her partner to show up here in the first place.</p><p>Chat hesitates again, but this time it doesn't strike Alix as being due to anything more than not knowing what to say.  Eventually, he settles on, "Thanks.  Really, thank you, this was- this was fun.  I think I needed this." </p><p>"Yeah, alright, you're starting to look kinda anxious though," Alix butts in, aware of how rude it sounds, aware that Ondine's turned to stare at her.  Kim hasn't, but Kim's known her longer.  "You gotta go before your lady misses you, huh?" </p><p>Ondine's stare drops away.  Kim knew what she was doing in the first place.</p><p>Chat Noir blinks and straightens at the reason she's handed him, his tail doing a happy little flick that Alix is starting to realise happens every time any of them mentions Ladybug.  "Yeah, I don’t want to be late for patrol. Gentlecats don’t keep a lady waiting.  I'll- be back, sometime?" </p><p>Kim waves a hand. "Any time!" </p><p>And then Chat's gone. </p><p>He moves fast enough that she doesn't actually see him leave, he's just <em> gone. </em></p><p>Alix and Ondine and Kim all sit in silence for a while after that, none of them willing to say anything.  Alix fishes out a now-smashed fruit roll up and throws it at Kim, who throws it back, and Ondine reaches out and plucks it from the air before they can get too competitive about it.</p><p>(She also eats it, because she wouldn't be here with them if she wasn't <em> some </em>level of irresponsible). </p><p>After another ten minutes of unnerving silence and running out of packaged snacks to throw, Alix finally asks the question that's been bugging her since <em> yesterday. </em></p><p>"So... how do you think Chat Noir even <em> knows </em>about the window thing, anyway?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>are those movies rated WAY high for these kids? oh gods yes.  is there anyone to check that or stop them? haha, no.  i havent actually watched pontypool yet, but i know the twist and it <i>interests</i> me and also i get the 'this is terrible youll love it' all the time, so im probably gonna. </p><p>(did i see these movies too young bc a) what are violence ratings theyll be fine and 2) mom got REAL frustrated that she couldnt find a horror movie thatd scare us? yeah. you took us to haunted houses in the middle of the woods while we were camping and therefore sleeping <i>in said woods,</i> mom, i dunno what you expected, the movies only exist on a screen and that isnt frightening). </p><p>titles from ana johnssons we are!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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